Open top draw bar arrangement having removable wedge

Abstract

A slackless draw bar coupler arrangement in which the car has a draw bar pocket with an open top, a slotted draft plate and a buff plate and the draw bar has a bar body with a spherical head connected to the body by a neck. Located about the neck is a thrust ring for disposition between the draft plate and the head and at that side of the head remote from the neck, there is a thrust disc insert for disposition between the buff plate and the head. The thrust disc insert and thrust ring are carried in holders. Between the buff plate and the thrust disc insert is a removable wedge which is spring loaded to urge the thrust disc insert firmly towards the head of the draw bar.

I claim: 
     
       1. A draw bar for use with a car having a draw bar pocket including an open top, and a slotted draft plate and a buff plate, the draw bar comprising a bar body, a spherical head connected to said body by a neck and a thrust ring disposed about said neck, said neck being dimensioned to pass through the slotted draft plate of the draw bar pocket with the thrust ring disposed between the head and the draft plate, a thrust insert disposed at the distal side of the head for positioning, in use, between the head and the buff plate of the draw bar pocket, and displaceable longitudinally relative to said thrust ring and biasing means to bias continuously said insert toward said ring to eliminate play between said head and said ring and insert, said biasing means including wedge means disposed in and being removable from said draw bar pocket through said open top, while maintaining engagement of said draw bar with said draw bar pocket. 
     
     
       2. A draw bar as claimed in claim 1 wherein said thrust ring is disposed in a holder shaped to fit snugly within a draw bar pocket. 
     
     
       3. A draw bar as claimed in claim 2 wherein said thrust insert is disposed within a holder. 
     
     
       4. A drawbar as claimed in claim 3 wherein said wedge means acts between said draw bar pocket and one of said holders. 
     
     
       5. A draw bar as claimed in claim 4 wherein said biasing means includes a spring to urge said wedge means in a direction to move said holders towards one another. 
     
     
       6. A draw bar according to claim 4 wherein said wedge means includes a wedge member bodily moveable relative to said pocket to bias said holders toward one another. 
     
     
       7. A draw bar as claimed in claim 5 wherein said wedge means acts between said buff plate and said insert holder. 
     
     
       8. In combination, a car having a draw bar pocket including an open top, and a slotted draft plate and a buff plate and a draw bar for engagement with the pocket, the draw bar including a bar body with a spherical head connected to the body by a neck for engagement in the slotted draft plate, a thrust ring disposed about the draw bar neck and between the head and the draft plate of the pocket, a thrust insert disposed between the head and the buff plate and longitudinally displaceable relative to said thrust ring and biasing means to bias continuously said insert toward said ring to eliminate play between said head and said ring and insert, said biasing means including wedge means disposed in and being removable from said draw bar pocket through said open top, while maintaining engagement of said draw bar with said draft bar pocket. 
     
     
       9. A combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein said thrust ring and thrust insert are disposed in respective holders and said wedge means are provided between said insert holder and the buff plate. 
     
     
       10. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said wedge means is spring loaded in a direction to urge said insert holder towards said head. 
     
     
       11. A combination according to claim 10 wherein said wedge means includes a wedge member slidable relative to said pocket along a vertical axis and said spring loading urges said wedge member vertically downward and into said pocket. 
     
     
       12. A draw bar for use with a car having an open topped draw bar pocket including a slotted draft plate and a buff plate, the draw bar comprising a bar body, a spherical head connected to said body by a neck and a thrust ring disposed about said neck, said thrust ring being disposed in a holder shaped to fit snugly within said draw bar pocket, said neck being dimensioned to pass through the slotted draft plate of the draw bar pocket with the thrust ring being disposed between the head and the draft plate, a thrust insert disposed with a holder and at the distal side of the head for positioning, in use, between the head and the buff plate of the draw bar pocket, and displaceable longitudinally relative to said thrust ring, and biasing means including wedge means acting between said draw bar pocket and said insert, to bias continuously said insert toward said ring to eliminate play between said head and said ring and insert, said biasing means being removable from said draw bar pocket while maintaining engagement of said draw bar therewith, said biasing means further including a leaf spring to urge said wedge members in a direction to move said holders towards one another, said leaf spring being pivotable relative to said pocket to move said spring out of engagement with said wedge means. 
     
     
       13. A draw bar as claimed in claim 12 wherein said wedge means includes a wedge member disposed for movement into said pocket along a vertical axis, downward vertical movement of said wedge member moving said thrust insert toward said thrust ring.